Customers are increasingly using electronic means to purchase goods and services. To complete a credit card transaction, merchants typically no longer make a physical imprint of the card. Instead, a magnetic strip on the card is read by a computer to access the customer's credit card number and expiration date. Many people now also use debit cards to pay for goods and services, where the transaction amount is deducted from a bank account. Some transactions are carried out where the merchant has no physical contact with the credit card. For example, when ordering goods or services via a merchant's Internet website, a customer typically enters a credit card type, number, and expiration date into fields of a web form.
Enjoyment of some goods and services still requires the physical presence of the customer, for example dining at a restaurant. In such a situation, if customers wish to use a credit or debit card, then they must have that card upon their person. For this reason, many people habitually carry multiple cards with them at all times. This increases the chances of one or more of the cards being lost or stolen.
Also, in a restaurant situation, a credit or debit card may be out of the customer's possession for a length of time, when one or more persons may have an opportunity to copy the card number and expiration date. It is a significant concern of customers to be able to enjoy the convenience of using credit and debit cards while minimizing the risk of unauthorized access to their card numbers.